The book was well crafted. But, the characters were very difficult to care about. By the end I was in a hurry for it to end so I could move on.

What was your reaction to the ending? (No spoilers please!)

I had a hard time caring because the characters as a whole were so unlikable. The twists didn't quite twist and the turns didn't turn far enough. There was nothing really endearing or incredibly awful about any of the characters.

Did Edoardo Ballerini do a good job differentiating all the characters? How?

He is a very good narrator. I will be willing to listen to other narrations by him.

I stayed in the story the entire time. Often I lose my place or can't remember what last happened but in this story, I never forgot the story line. I listened to it not only in the car but at home. Characters were realistic and likable. Pick it up!

Have you listened to any of Edoardo Ballerini’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

Edoardo is the perfect reader. I'm listening to Berney's second book as the narrator lacks the chops to do the book justice.

This was overall an entertaining book, but will not bear the scrutiny of those who like their stories to be logical. There are definite plot similarities to the Maltese Falcon, but the lead character "Shake" is no Sam Spade and the lead heavy, Dick Moby, is no Kaspar Gutman. On the other hand the femme fatale, Gina, would have done Dashiell Hammett proud.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. Of course it is not great literature but, for its genre, it is right up there with Elmore Leonard, Carl Hiaasen and Donald Westlake. The narration was spot on and enhanced the book.

The plot had good twists, the main characters had some wise develpment, and the story was just a pleasure.. We are not talking great novels, but a most pleasant way to distract yourself and get lost in a comfortable book. The narration was great and fit the characters very well. The laconic style of the narrator matched the pace of the book. Good job, that.

What was one of the most memorable moments of Gutshot Straight?

The first realizations that all is not what you thought and the different reality of the characters supplies just the right amount of frisson to make it fun and to entice you to want to get to know the characters.

Which character – as performed by Edoardo Ballerini – was your favorite?

Shake, of course. But he did well overall with the rest of the characters.

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

yes, the way that love or lust can change you from doing whats logical to the desire to follow your heart instead.

Any additional comments?

Just liked it. A rare mix of good narration, good characters, and a fun plot that comes together to make you want to relax and enjoy the storytelling. Its what I like about audiobooks when I want to enjoy having a great story read to me.

What made the experience of listening to Gutshot Straight the most enjoyable?

This listening kept my attention throughout and the narrator is just fine I found this very easy to listen to. The story line itself is like a movie script, the action was mostly fast paced with lots of twists and turns. Resuming the book is good, reading is good. You move quickly through the story and feel drawn into it.